Coming Halloween 2018: Cadenza

Actual years have fallen by the wayside in the days since I last released a piece of fiction, swallowed in the bottomless pit of time, but this Halloween I break my silence at long last with a dark fantasy short story that promises to leave you feeling empty and cold and longing for the light of day.

“CADENZA”

Still suffering the soul-crushing grief of her husband’s unexpected and violent death, Amelia escapes to the country, to the historic bed and breakfast where they spent their honeymoon.

A beautiful and mysterious getaway owned by her husband’s aunt and uncle, the Engstroms welcome her with open arms, but not without warning: Avoid the grounds after dark, no matter what might beckon her outside. The Engstroms are old, superstitious for sure, but when a melancholy melody wakes her from troubled sleep again and again, she finds herself drawn from bed to find the source.

In her heart, she knows the shadowy entity gliding through the frigid fountain and dancing playfully across the slick, leaf-strewn walk cannot possibly be Oliver, but what if she’s wrong? If the Engstrom’s warnings were true, and the woeful song of the creature outside is a trap, what will it matter if it brings her closer to the one person she didn’t have enough time with before it was too late?

Inspired by Scandivanian tales of the mysterious male water spirits known as näcken, “Cadenza” will be available everywhere ebooks are sold on October 31, 2018, so stay tuned for release date details.

And the winners for the giveaway are: Raisa and Logan. You will be receiving a free ebook copy of “Cadenza” in the format of your choice a day or two prior to Halloween. Thank you all for playing along and entering the giveaway!

Follow me on Twitter

Who Am I?

Jennifer Melzer is an author, editor, and gamer who currently resides in Northeastern Pennsylvania with her husband, offspring, a bunch of random outdoor cats with ridiculous names, and a dragon with a superiority complex.